The Last Marauder
by a mountain of gideon's scones
Summary: For the I'm about to die challenge. Remus' last moments with his duel with Dolohov and the sight of Dora. R


_For the I'm about to die challenge_

_I don't own anything_

* * *

Magic has always been my priority; I have always preferred to learn the magic and how to use it than actually using it against someone. However, I like to believe that I am at least a good fighter, after spending so many years doing it.

I fought my damndest in the First Wizarding War and I can assure myself more than anything that right now, in the climax of the Second Wizarding War, I am putting perhaps _more_ effort in. You see, I have a reason for this. In the first war, I lost every single one of my Marauders: I believed Peter to be dead alongside James and that Sirius was a traitor to my loyalist friends. Whilst this may not have turned out to be strictly true, I know now that I am the last one of the four of us. I _have_ to fight as hard as I can for both myself, James and Sirius, the latter two people who have died eons before their time, the former especially.

Therefore, I can never have a poor fight. Every time I duel, I live up to James' spectacular duelling skills, as if it is still a competition like in Hogwarts between us. I don't want to disappoint him; I want to be the best role model that I can be for Harry even though he hasn't ever really needed one. He has always been the man he is today, his father's son through and through.

I managed to persuade Dora to stay at home with our son. Our son… it gives me so much pride to be able to say that I have a son, someone to share my last name no matter my beliefs that I should never have possibly inflicted this curse on someone so precious. Yet he gives me the extra strength on _top_ of James and Sirius; Teddy and Dora are the two things I have to live for now.

The group I led out into the grounds seem to be all around me now, duelling with various Death Eaters. Some are successful and move onto another target almost instantly but I can see some are flailing, fighting a battle they are sure to lose. I wish that I could help them but I have to finish this duel with Rookwood first; to get rid of him would surely be the best thing I have done in oh so long.

With a flourish so perfect it reminds me of the move I pulled in the Battle of the Department of Mysteries – the one which ensured I, like Dumbledore and Harry, escaped unscathed – I knock Rookwood backwards so far that he collides with a different Death Eater's killing curse and is killed instantly.

Yet the battle is not over. I have much to do if I wish to make a difference in destroying Voldemort, in ensuring that Harry Potter is successful in defeating him. So, I instantly get into another duel with Antonin Dolohov, twisting and whirling around him as I dodge his attacks. I shoot spell after spell at the killer of Mad Eye Moody and the Prewett brothers but he astounds me with the speed by which he is able to move and block them: perhaps this is a Death Eater more powerful than myself. I admit that that sounds big headed but… it is true that I am a powerful wizard and more than capable of looking after myself.

"Remus!" I hear a voice that I _really_ hope that I am dreaming up. Dora, my wife's, voice streams forwards to me and I turn in shock to see her bouncing along the ground to greet me. Only _she_ could bounce in the middle of a battle, her hair practically short and bubble gum coloured, though it changes to bright blue as I stare at it.

Her appearance causes me enough of a distraction that Dolohov chances his luck and attempts to get under my shield charm. If it wasn't for the brilliance of my wife's charm work, I would be dead by now.

"What are you _doing _here?" I ask her in shock as I refocus on the Death Eater that I am fighting, whilst another comes up beside us to duel Dora.

"I just saved you, remember," of course, she would forget the fact that it was her fault that I _needed_ saving in the first place.

"Tell me, Lupin, how would you feel if I killed your wife?" Dolohov grinned at me, the grin reminding me of how a snake opens its mouth and, for a second, appears to be friendly before pouncing.

"I would say that it would be the last thing that you do," I respond sharply, an ache in my heart at the possibility that she could die without me. I cannot let her die and allow Teddy to be motherless – that is not only wrong, it is unnatural.

Spurred on by a new found fear for everyone I love, I duel harder and faster, chancing it to fight other Death Eaters in the short time it takes Dolohov to recover from my attacks. I save three different Order members before turning back to Dolohov to see a sight I would much rather not see.

"NO!" I cry, running forwards as fast as I can to my wife, the disarmed woman without a wand. I lift my wand to cast a Protection charm around her but it is too late: with a grin at me, Dolohov sends a jet of green light at Dora and she is flung back.

I cry out again, inhumanely, and turn back to fight Dolohov to the death with tears in my eyes. He has killed my Dora, the one woman I have ever loved. There is no more nice Remus Lupin, oh no, this is a fight to the death and I am determined to go down fighting if I go.

He taunts me about the unblemished body of my wife lying mere metres from me, but I shut my ears off, fighting him with a fierce fury that is unwavering as I am determined to destroy him.

Unfortunately, that desire is uncompleted… with a complicated twist of his wand, he annihilates my shield charm and leaves me in the same position as Dora. This is the moment where I _know_ am going to die. Not only am I dying, I am going to be reunited with Dora, James and Sirius, the dream team of friends.

A wave of calm comes over me as I know I am never going to be alone. I decide not to look at Dolohov as I hear the incantation being called; instead, I look down at the body of my slain wife, the powerful and marvellous woman she is, and imagine myself holding her hand. I imagine telling her I love her, kissing her…

… in this moment, I feel a short pang of regret for never getting to know my son, never telling him I love him one last time. I regret the fact that he will never remember my voice or know anything about me other than what limited facts others can tell him, for everyone who knows me inside out is dead.

The jet of green light hits me at an angle and throws me back so far that I can see myself landing next to Dora. The life begins to leave my body as I make my descent to the ground, it leaving entirely as the empty corpse I leave behind lands next to Dora with a bang.

I ignore everything else besides the fact that I can see my hand has covered Dora's as it fell before raising my head as I rise towards the sky, knowing I am the last Marauder to have made it here.

Better late than never

* * *

_Tell me your thoughts_

_Vicky xx_


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